


The Family We Choose (And the One We Keep Finding On Our Doorstep)

by Gabbeeh



Category: Supernatural, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Arc Reactor Issues, Canon Divergence - Iron Man 3, Demons, Established Relationship, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt Dean Winchester, Hurt Tony Stark, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, M/M, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Past Child Abuse, Poor Clint Barton, Season/Series 01, Torture, the Winchesters meet the Avengers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-05-03 13:24:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14569938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabbeeh/pseuds/Gabbeeh
Summary: Supernatural season one: Meg is going to get that colt if she so has to kill every single person those Winchesters care about. She'll tear the hunter community to shreds if she has to, but as it turns out she doesn't - the person Sam and Dean care for the most is a flashier type of hero. The flying red and gold technological metal suit type.





	1. Meet and greet - first impressions and all that

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MiaRose0943](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiaRose0943/gifts).



> I own nothing and I don't make any money from this - I just like to play around in other peoples universes.
> 
> Based on prompt by MiaRose0943, whom I owe a great thank you. I've thrown a lot of ideas at her and she's thrown others back, helping me outline the story and figure all of this out.
> 
> Also, this story is completely outlined and mostly finished. It won't be super long, maybe three chapters or so, but it's still the longest fanfic I've ever written, so please be nice. I've messed a bit with timelines, though the age difference between Tony and the Winchesters is actually canon. I just decided to put all Marvel movies a decade or so earlier, because Supernatural season 1 is way less messy than, say, season 7.

**_June, 1984, Stark Manor, New York_ **

 

_Tony Stark was moping. Of course, he’d never admit to that. He was the only heir to the Stark legacy, one of the brightest minds in the country and the proud inventor of an AI helper bot he’d named Dum-E - moping was beneath him. But he was also a lonely fourteen-year-old who had just graduated high school and was now forced to spend the summer in a big empty mansion. His father had banned him from the workshop after he caused a minor explosion the day before, the application for MIT was sent, he’d read nine books about physics and engineering, and frankly, he was bored out of his skull. Hence the moping._

_A black muscle car ~~Chevrolet Impala 1967 ht with four doors~~ stopping outside the gate brought him out of his thoughts. His curiosity was spiked when the gate was opened and it actually drove up the driveway. Jarvis came out to greet the visitors and quickly led them in the direction of the kitchen. Tony, naturally, followed to listen in on their conversation._

_The driver of the car was tall and muscular with an unkept appearance. It was pretty obvious he was there to see Jarvis, because Howard would never be seen associating with a man like that. With him the man had two kids, one of them practically a baby. Jarvis set the kids up with sandwiches and milk on the couch in the room next to the kitchen, so that he and mystery man could talk more privately in the kitchen while still having the kids in their line of sight. Tony stayed in the doorway to the small sitting room - he could hear Jarvis and mystery man, but not see them. The older boy met his eyes for a moment and he stilled, afraid that the kid would give him away, but then the boy turned back to his little brother, completely ignoring the eaves-dropper in the doorway._

_”What can I do for you, John?”_

_Jarvis’ voice was flat, like he already knew why John was there and didn’t like it._

_”I need you to watch my boys.”_

_”John…”_

_”No. Listen to me first. I have a hunt and they’re too young to be left alone. I have to, people are dying, Edwin! And. And just. I might have a lead on the thing that killed Mary. Maybe. I met this hunter who’s going to help me for a bit, teach me more about the supernatural. I just need my boys to be safe, meanwhile. It’s just for the summer.”_

_Jarvis sighed. ”John, I can’t watch them. I have a job to do, and besides, I don’t think mr Stark would take kindly to my sister’s grandsons running around the house. Maybe if Ana was still…”_

_”I have nowhere else to go. Please… I need to find Mary’s killer, your niece’s killer, Edwin!”_

_”John, I understand where you’re coming from, but I have responsibilities to mr Stark…”_

_”They won’t be in the way! Sammy is a good baby and Dean is really responsible for his age. They’ll practically take care of themselves…”_

_”Dean is five years old. He shouldn’t have to take care of himself, never mind his little brother…”_

_As he listened in on the argument Tony found his eyes wandering back to the two boys on the couch. The older one was driving an old toy car up his brother’s leg, making the toddler laugh and wave his chubby hands around. The car was missing a wheel. The older boy’s shoulders slumped more and more as he too listened in on the conversation in the kitchen, sad green eyes meeting Tony’s again before quickly looking away._

_And Tony found himself feeling sorry for the boys. Their mom had apparently just died and now their father wanted to dump them off to live with some strangers, running off doing - well that part of the conversation was a bit weird. But anyway. The older boy looked so incredibly tired and alone in his responsibility for his baby brother, as their father was practically abandoning them and let’s just say Tony knew something about distant fathers and loneliness._

_”I’ll take care of them!”_

_The argument in the kitchen stopped immediately at his unexpected outburst and the grownups entered the sitting room._

_”Master Anthony…”_

_”No. I can take care of them.” He turned to John What’s-his-face. ”You said they’re easy, right? I can look after them while Jarvis works. It’s not like I have anything better to do.”_

_And he really didn’t. Now that the idea had struck him, he desperately wanted the boys to stay. The prospect of another lonely summer, where the only social interaction he had was at fancy dinner parties and hanging out with Jarvis, seemed terrifying._

_”You ever changed a diaper in your life, kid?” asked John._

_Tony honestly hadn’t thought of the diaper issue. Wasn’t that pretty gross?_

_”I’m a quick learner”, he replied, trying to keep a neutral facial expression._

_”That you are, young master Anthony.”_

_Jarvis sighed, knowing his young charge well enough to know there was no changing his mind now. Tony let a small but victorious smile graze his lips._

_”You have to pick up the boys in August at latest, John. Master Anthony is headed for MIT this autumn.”_

_Apparently it was decided. And that is how a fourteen-year-old Tony came to spend his summer vacation baby-sitting Sam and Dean Winchester._

*****

 

**Now, Avengers Mansion (former Stark Manor), New York**

 

”Sir, your presence is needed in the yard.”

 

Tony looked up from his project.

 

”Sure J, what’s up?”

 

”It seems sergeant Barnes and agent Romanoff have detected two intruders on the grounds.”

 

Tony stifled a curse and hurried up the stairs from his workshop. Bucky and Natasha would enjoy interrogating intruders a bit too much, and he had a sneaking suspicion about these two. Only two people had ever disconnected security systems and climbed over the wall around the estate in the middle of the day, and those two weren’t exactly sinister in their intentions.

 

When Tony rushed out through the front door the first thing he saw was Sam with a metal arm around his throat and a gun to his side. Then his eyes found Dean on the ground, arm twisted up behind him and Natashas heel pressing into his back. And he couldn’t help it - he started laughing.

 

He doubled over, eyes filling with tears because he was laughing so hard. He didn’t even know what was so funny. Maybe he could blame his lack of sleep these past few days.

 

”Yeah, laugh it up, chuckles.”

 

The voice was a bit darker than the last time he’d heard it, but it was still unmistakably Dean’s.

 

”Sorry”, he said, still shaking with silent laughter. ”It’s just. Did you guys seriously think it was a good idea to try to break into a _superhero_ headquarters? I mean _come on_ , Dean-o, I didn’t raise you to be stupid.”

 

”You didn't do much raising at all _Tony-o_. Now if you could call back your guard dogs before Sammy turns completely blue, it would be appreciated.”

 

Suddenly Sam’s lack of input in the conversation made sense.

 

”Buck, let go,” said Tony sharply because Sam did indeed look like he wasn’t getting enough air.

 

Bucky let go, but Natasha seemed have taken the comment about dogs personally and had moved her sharp heel down to a more sensitive area than Dean’s back.

 

”Nat”, he said warningly, but quickly shut his mouth when she raised a threatening eyebrow in his direction. He _didn't_ fear Nat. He just had a healthy dose of respect for her. He took a deep breath. ”I know he’s a jerk, but could you please let go of my cousin?”

 

”Cousin?”

 

That was Clint’s voice, and look at that - all the Avengers had gathered around them. Tony sighed and rolled his eyes.

 

”Avengers, meet Sam and Dean Winchester, my kinda cousins. Sammy, Dean-o, meet Steve, Clint, Bruce, Bucky and Natasha. Thor is sadly not here right now, so you won’t get to brag about meeting a god.”

 

”Natasha”, Dean said from where he was still lying on the ground under Nat. ”That’s a beautiful name.”

 

Tony rolled his eyes so hard he thought they might fall out.

 

”You know her code name is Black Widow, right?”

 

Dean’s grin widened into what Tony recognized as the make-girls-weak-in-the-knees-and-forget-their-own-names-smile. After all - he’s the one who taught Dean how to flirt once upon a time.

 

”I’ve always liked living dangerously”, said Dean, smiling up at Natasha, charm dialed all the way up.

 

Tony decided that his surrogate cousin must have a death wish.

 

*****

 

They had barely gotten inside when Clint, the lovable idiot, dropped the bomb. Tony was mature enough to admit that he’s dating a man-child with a flair for dramatics. They were gathered around the big table in the dining room, Tony had just gotten his hands on a cup of coffee, Dean was ~~flirting~~ trying to flirt with an unimpressed, but slightly amused, Natasha and Clint decided to open his big mouth.

 

”So what are you guys even doing here? Not that it isn’t great to meet my sorta family-in-law…”

 

Dean sprayed coffee over the table, coughing until Sam thumped him on the back.

 

”Say what now?”

 

Sam looked between Clint and Tony, who were staring at each other, one exasperated and the other slightly apologetic. He cleared his throat.

 

”Congratulations, guys.”

 

Dean’s mouth was still open and he was looking back and forth between Tony and Clint. ”You two are together? Like _together_ together? Since when?”

 

”Since this idiot jumped from an exploding building and almost died. Gave me a heart attack. Which fight was that?” Tony frowned.

 

”AIM had kidnapped the president”, Steve reminded.

 

”Huh”, murmured Tony. ”That’s almost a year ago.”

 

Dean set down his coffee mug with a bit too much force. ”You’ve been dating a superhero for a _year_ and you didn't tell me?”

 

Tony gave him an unimpressed look. ”Dean, I _am_ a superhero.”

 

”Well, to me you’re always gonna be the kid who set himself on fire trying to make scrambled eggs.”

 

Sam snorted out a laugh at his brother’s comment. ”He’s got a point, Tony. Once you’ve seen someone practically take a bath in the kitchen sink in only their underwear, it’s hard to imagine them being a national icon who regularly saves the world.”

 

”You _what_?” Clint was shaking with badly suppressed laughter. The rest of the Avengers weren’t far off.

 

”Thanks a lot, guys. Now, could we get back to the reason you’re here?”

 

Sam and Dean shared a look, serious all of a sudden.

 

”Maybe we should take this in private?” Dean murmured, eyeing the Avengers.

 

Tony immediately shook his head. ”No. I don’t keep secrets from my team.”

 

”We didn’t even know about your cousins until they broke in, mr Open Book”, Bucky chimed in.

 

”Shush, Barnes”, said Tony with an eye roll.

 

Sam let his eyes move over the team again. ”How much do you know about the supernatural?”

 

”Well, we regularly fight off alien invasions and have movie nights with a god”, said Clint with a grin. ”That the kinda supernatural you’re talking bout?”

 

Sam and Dean shared another look before Sam opened his mouth. ”Well sure. But there’s also ghosts, witches, werewolves, vampires…”

 

”Wait a minute!” Tony interrupted. ”I thought vampires were extinct!”

 

”Well, so did we. And then we ended up taking down a nest in Colorado last week.”

 

”Seriously? Machete do the work?”

 

”Yeah. You gotta chop the head right off, burn the body.”

 

”What the _fuck_ is going on?”

 

Tony looked up, realizing that his team looked a bit lost, some of them disgusted, others freaked out. Clint was staring at him like he had just told him the sky was green.

 

”Vampires are real…? It’s exciting!” Tony tried, but everyone was still staring at him. He looked to Sam for help.

 

”Okay, so demons, vampires, werewolves. They’re all real. And we hunt them.”

 

”Tony hunts them?”

 

Tony sighed. ”Hunting often involves impersonating FBI agents and then disappearing from the face of the earth. I’ve always been a bit recognizable. Sure, I’ve ganked a ghost or two, but I’m not a hunter. Not like the Winchesters.”

 

”It’s the family business”, said Dean with a shrug.

 

”So you have a hunt around these parts, that it?” Tony said, deciding to give his team some time to process.

 

Sam and Dean winced, sharing an uncomfortable look.

 

”Well, actually…”

 

Sam hesitated, giving Dean a grimace. Dean turned to look Tony steadily in the eye, before finishing the sentence.

 

”We think something’s after you.”

 

 


	2. Mingling, graffiti and hunting gone wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the purposes of this story, Phil Coulson didn't survive getting stabbed by Loki, which is truly sad and not something I usually write. The Avengers are living in what used to be Stark Manor, for reasons (maybe the tower got destroyed or something). This diverges slightly from canon after season 1 episode 20 of Supernatural. John goes to rescue those people Sam had a vision about, while Sam and Dean head to intercept Meg before she gets to her next victim (who he's also had a vision about).
> 
> If you find anything else confusing, I'm happy to answer any questions you might have about this weird little universe.

 

”Wait, wait, back up. So something’s coming for me. _How_ do you know this?”

 

Sam and Dean both seemed reluctant to answer the question. Dean sighed and downed the rest of his coffee before clearing his throat.

 

”The thing that killed mom. We finally have a solid lead on it. ’S a demon. Not only that, we got a way to kill it, and I mean kill it dead. I guess it’s scared, ’cause it’s started coming for people we know, other hunters, pastor Jim…”

 

”And you think this demon knows about me? We’ve not exactly had much contact lately and I’ve never been part of the hunter community, not that I doubt you - if you think it might go after me then of course we should be ready for it, you said you actually found a way to kill a demon, let me just tell you how amazing that is, but still, we should…”

 

Sam rubbed at his forehead before interrupting Tony’s rant.

 

”No, we _know_ it’s coming for you.”

 

Tony went silent, his full attention focused on Sam. Sam threw an uncertain glance at the avengers before sighing and folding his hands on the table.

 

”I’ve been having these dreams lately. And visions. Usually about something bad happening. They always come true.”

 

Tony stared at him for a moment, processing.

 

”Have you been able to change what happens?”

 

”Sometimes.”

 

”Interesting. Now, did you actually see me die?”

 

That was the moment Clint chose to get up from the table and storm out of the room. Tony murmured a distracted excuse before rushing to follow him, leaving the rest of the avengers and the two Winchesters sitting around the table in an awkward silence.

 

”Sooooo, do you have any more embarrassing stories about Tony?”

 

”Buck!”

 

*****

 

”Clint, hold up!”

 

Tony jogged up to him and grabbed his arm as to prevent him from disappearing into the vents of the mansion. Clint remained tense for a moment, before sagging against his boyfriend, burying his face in Tony’s dark locks and doing his best impression of an octopus. Tony hugged him back.

 

”You can’t die”, Clint finally murmured into his hair. ”I won’t let you. I can’t…”

 

Oh. So that’s what was up.

 

”I have no plans on dying, honeybunch, I promise.”

 

”I can’t loose you.”

 

And that was the crux of the matter, wasn’t it? Except for Natasha, none of the other avengers knew that Clint and Phil had been an item. Tony found out by accident, as he walked in on Clint sobbing like a child, on the day of Coulsons funeral. That might have been the moment the two of them became Clint and Tony to each other, instead of Barton and Stark.

 

Clint was acutely aware of how it felt to unexpectedly have to bury a lover. The thing that terrified him the most was having to do it again.

 

They stayed in the hallway, clinging to each other. For once, Tony didn’t have anything to say. Clint let himself enjoy being held for a few more minutes before straightening up.

 

”Let’s go learn how to kill demons.”

 

*****

 

The awkwardness was tangible in the room when Tony and Clint walked back in. The hunters and the avengers had apparently exchanged a couple of stories about Tony, but after awhile it had turned to uneasy small talk and Dean flirting with the only female in the room - big surprise there. Clint twisted a chair and straddled it, looking determined and utterly serious.

 

”So how do I kill that thing?”

 

Sam and Dean shared an uneasy glance.

 

”There’s only one thing that can actually kill a demon - this colt with demonkilling bullets. But there are only a few bullets left. This gun… well, we don’t have it.”

 

Clint got to his feet, looming over the Winchesters only because they were still sitting down.

 

”So you’re telling me that my boyfriend is being hunted by something that I can't kill?”

 

”Wow, easy tiger. We can still exorcize the bastard just fine. It won't kill her, but she’ll likely be in hell for the next century or so.”

 

”So is it actually a female demon or is it just wearing a female?” Tony asked, picking up on what Dean’s words were implying.

 

”The demon I saw coming for you is possessing a blond girl and goes by the name Meg”, answered Sam. ”We’ve run into her a couple of times now. She’s the daughter of Azazel - that’s the yellow-eyed demon, the one that killed mom. She’s done his dirty work before.”

 

”Teach me how to exorcize a demon!”

 

Tony threw Clint a worried look. He was intensely focused on the task of keeping a loved one safe. He exchanged a look with Natasha over the table. She, too, seemed worried - not that many people would have been able to spot it.

 

”Okay, first things first.” Dean took out a flask from the inner pocket of his leather jacket. ”This is holy water. Demons can't stand it. So would everyone drink some now, so we don’t get any nasty surprises later when it turns out one of you losers was possessed the whole time.”

 

The avengers obediently sent the flask around the table. Sam rose from the table and pulled a packet of salt from his bag. ”Great. Now we put salt in front of every window and door and vent.” He demonstrated by making a thick line on the closest windowsill. ”JARVIS can keep an eye on everyone, but I would still prefer if you went in pairs.”

 

”Sam and Tony are gonna make some pretty graffiti in the meantime”, added Dean. ”Bruce, you’re with me. Meet back here when you’re done. People, let’s go!”

 

*****

 

Tony and Sam were following the instructions sent by one Bobby Singer letter by letter, trying to draw a devil’s trap on the floor where the expensive living room carpet usually was. They were working in silence, coordinated in the way of people who’d known each other for years. As Sam sprayed last line of the sigill, Tony decided to break the comfortable silence that’d settled between them.

 

”How’ve you been, Sammy?”

 

Sam smiled weakly.

 

”I know you’ve been keeping tabs on us, Tony. You know what’s been going on.”

 

”Yeah, I’m really sorry about Jessica. And I’m sorry you got dragged back into hunting. But just because I know what happened doesn’t mean I know how you’re dealing with it.”

 

Sam rubbed the back of his neck in a gesture he’d clearly copied from Dean, albeit unconsciously.

 

”I’ve been… Surprisingly okay. It’s good to be back with Dean on the road. It’s familiar, comforting.”

 

”That’s good to hear, Sammy. I’ve been worried about you. S’ a long time since I heard from you.”

 

”Yeah, about that. I’m so sorry Tony. We never meant to fall so out of touch with you, especially when you needed us the most.”

 

”It’s not your fault, Sam. You were just a kid, and I wasn’t exactly in a state to be around kids anyway.”

 

”Yeah, but…”

 

”No buts! I’m serious, Sammy, I…”

 

”I’ve seen you one time since uncle Edwin’s funeral. One time! There’s no excuse for that, Tony!”

 

”I’ll give you one. Sam, you were eleven years old. And I showed up drunk. I was not a good influence to anyone, least of all you and Dean.”

 

”But you lost Jarvis, and then for all intents and purposes you lost us too.”

 

”Well, I still had ~~Obi~~ \- Stane…”

 

Sam opened his mouth to interrupt but Tony held up a finger.

 

”I know, but there was no way for you to know what an asshole he’d turn out to be. And I had JARVIS. So you knew I was in good hands.”

 

Sam gave him a tiny smile.

 

”JARVIS is truly amazing, Tony.”

 

”Yeah, I know”, answered Tony with a grin. ”And don’t think I don’t know about your deal with him.”

 

”It’s only fair, that if he keeps tabs on us for you, he also keeps us up to date on how you’re doing”, Sam said with a shrug and a lopsided smile.

 

Tony reached out to mess up his hair, muttering ”You little minx!” under his breath.

 

*****

 

”Any particular reason you felt like pairing up with me?” Bruce asked as he and Dean were walking down the hall. ”Curios about the other guy?”

 

”Well kinda. I also need you to help me with something.”

 

”What are you planning?”

 

”It’s a surprise.”

 

*****

 

Clint and Natasha were moving silently around the mansion, salting windows, doors and vents as they went. As they got out of hearing distance from the others Natasha stopped and turned to face her companion.

 

”How are you doing? Like really doing?”

 

Clint scratched his left ear and avoided her gaze.

 

”I’m angry. Scared. Freaked out. Worried. Terrified. Pissed.”

 

She put her hand on his shoulder.

 

”Every single one of us would die to save your man, you know that, right?”

 

Clint sighed and finally met her eyes.

 

”Thanks, Tasha. I just want this to be over.”

 

”Agents Barton and Romanoff, I do believe the kitchen door was just broken open”, JARVIS’s voice sounded from the ceiling.

 

”Shit! What do you see, JARVIS?” Clint took off towards the living room, wanting to get eyes on Tony. Natasha followed suit.

 

”Something seems to be disturbing my sensors as I can’t get a visual”, JARVIS replied.

 

Tony looked up as they skidded into the living room.

 

”Something broke open the kitchen door!” Clint said before he had the chance to ask.

 

”Then she’s already here”, murmured Sam, pulling the carpet in place over their graffiti and grabbing a flask of holy water.

 

Steve and Bucky rushed into the room seconds later.

 

”There’s a girl with black eyes headed this way”, Steve rapported as they gathered in a circle, backs to each other.

 

Clint’s fingers circled Tony’s wrist, holding tight as a tiny blonde girl stepped into the room. She glanced at the spray can left out and flicked back the corner of the carpet with a scoff. Moving purposely around the devil’s trap she smirked at them.

 

”Well look at that. Sammy’s got himself some friends.”

 

*****

 

Surprise mission accomplished, Dean and Bruce were walking through the halls of Avengers Mansion, headed for the meet up spot in the downstairs dining room. Bruce seemed to be mulling something over before he at last decided to speak up.

 

”You and Tony aren’t actually biologically related, right?”

 

”No, why?”

 

”I can still see the resemblances. You share a lot of behavioral traits.”

 

”Really? Like what?”

 

”Well there’s the appreciation for machines, pop culture and rock music, the brashness, flirting, and the need to save people, unselfishness hidden by attitude and ego…”

 

Dean stopped and leveled him with an intense look.

 

”How do you know so much about me?”

 

Bruce shrugged. ”I’m used to seeing these things in Tony. He doesn’t want people to know how big his heart is either. Doesn’t mean he wouldn’t do anything for the people he loves.”

 

”Not just the people he loves.”

 

Bruce raised a questioning eyebrow.

 

”The first time I met Tony, he was fourteen years old and offered to spend his entire summer babysitting some kids who had nowhere else to go. There wasn’t really anything in it for him, except company maybe. Pretty sure he could have found better company than a toddler in diapers and a five-year-old with issues.”

 

”I’m assuming said five-year-old was you.”

 

Dean nodded. ”A demon murdered my mother in front of me when Sammy was a baby. Dad got too obsessed with revenge to really have time to take care of us. He tried to drop us off with our last remaining family -the original Jarvis.” Dean snorted. ”Uncle Edwin was more of a father to Tony than Howard ever was.”

 

He said Howard’s name with a sneer on his lips, making clear what he thought of the man and his parenting skills.

 

”Anyway. We used to spend our summers here growing up. Tony never once made us feel like anything less than family.”

 

That’s when they heard the scream.

 

”Wait here”, ordered Dean, before taking off.

 

Bruce obeyed reluctantly. He didn’t know if the other guy could get possessed, but it was a scary thought. He shuddered. No, the others would probably have more use of a doctor than a rage monster anyway.

 

He started in on a couple of breathing exercises, desperately trying to stay calm. That scream had sounded suspiciously like Tony’s voice.

 

_He might need a doctor, Banner. Calm down, or you won’t be able to help him. The others can take care of the demon, you’re the only one with medical training. He’ll need a doctor. Breathe in, 1, 2, 3. And breathe out._

 

*****

 

Tony found himself flat on his back, an invisible force pressing him against the floor, rendering him completely unable to move a limb. From the corner of his eye, he could see the rest of his ~~family~~ team in similar positions, most of them stuck to the walls of his living room. He couldn’t see Dean anywhere but Sam was talking, voice choked from how hard he was being pressed against the wall, pleading, bargaining or insulting - Tony couldn’t tell. He was too focused on trying to breathe. The arc reactor sat heavy in his chest on a good day, so laying flat on his back was a position he tended to avoid. Now, with extra demonic force pressing him downwards, the reactor felt as if it was literally crushing his heart.

 

The black eyed blonde smirked at him, like she knew what he was thinking. She released him enough that he could breathe properly - or as properly as one could with compromised lungs and a chest full of metal.

 

”Such a pretty blue light, this one has”, she taunted. ”Do you know how it works, Sam? Did he tell you that it replaces his sternum.”

 

She snapped her finger and Tony felt an explosion of pain in his right side, white hot waves drowning out all other senses, until the sound of his own scream seemed distant. As he managed to calm down enough to catch his breath, he found Meg standing over him, thoughtful expression on her face. ”I wonder how many ribs I can snap, before that thing squishes his heart. If his ribcage is compromised enough, wouldn't it just fall down…? Unless, of course, one of you have something to tell me. Any takers? Sam?” She snapped her fingers again, and Tony gave an involuntary shout as burning pain lanced through his left side. Two ribs. Okay, this was gonna be a bitch to heal from - in case he actually survived, that was.

 

”Meg, we don’t actually know where the colt is!” Sam sounded desperate. ”We don’t have it anymore!”

 

”Well, that’s too bad…” She snapped her fingers again. ”…for your friend.” Tony didn’t have enough air in his lungs to scream, the only sound he managed to produce was a choked off gurgle. He felt like Thor had left Mjölnir on his chest, his entire ribcage burning, sharp pains shooting through his sides.

 

”Stop.” Clint’s voice was tense in a way Tony had never heard before. ”I’ll do anything. Demons make deals, right?”

 

Meg’s eyes widened. ”You’d trade your soul for this guys life? He’d probably not live that long anyway, with a weak heart like that. But your soul for an unbroken ribcage? Seems like an uneven trade.”

 

”I’ll do it.”

 

Tony managed to find enough air to grit out: ”No, Clint, you fucking will not.”

 

”Quiet!” Meg snapped her fingers again and Tony’s vision was filled with dark spots and weird flecks of light as a fourth rib broke. There was a gurgling wheezing sound every time he tried draw a breath. Maybe he had a punctured lung.

 

”JARVIS. Sprinklers.” Deans gruff voice came from the top of the stairs. Meg snarled and threw him into the wall, an old painting crashing down the steps as he knocked it loose.

 

In that moment, the sprinklers turned on, dousing everyone in the room. Meg let out a shriek of pain, her demonic grip on them suddenly releasing, sending the occupants of the room crashing to the floor. Holy water, then. Loud crashes sounded as Dean tumbled down the stairs. Sam immediately started chanting an exorcism, Meg’s shrieking rising in pitch. She threw out her arm, slamming Sam and the people closest to him, which happened to be Steve and Natasha, into the wall. The chanting stopped, so Tony assumed Sam had been knocked out, or at least properly stunned.

 

From the bottom of the stairs, Dean took up the chanting, where he was sprawled on the ground. Tony couldn’t really hear it properly over Meg’s shrieking, or maybe he couldn’t really hear anything anymore. He felt like he was floating in fluffy mist, the sharp pain his only anchor to reality. And if he focused on the mist instead of the pain, he could feel that anchor becoming weaker and weaker. He blinked, and forgot how to open his eyes. The inside of his eyelids was the most comforting shade of black - soft and warm, like a blanket over his soul.

 

”Tony.” The voice sounded very far away.

 

”Tony!” Now it sounded like it came from inside his head.

 

”Tony, stay with me! Open your eyes.” That was Clint’s voice. He sounded absolutely wrecked with fear. _We can’t have that, can we, Tony?_

 

Tony groaned softly as he focused on the burning pain, following his anchor towards consciousness. Dean was still chanting somewhere far away, but as he forced open his eyes, he could hear a loud crash and the words stopped. He tried to force a breath into his lungs - he had to finish the exorcism - but he couldn’t seem to get his ribcage to expand at all. Before he had time to panic, JARVIS’s crisp voice took over and finished the exorcism in perfect latin, sending the demon out of that poor girl.

 

”Proud of ya, J”, he managed to get out before the world darkened around him, and this time no anchor in the world could have kept him tethered to consciousness.

 

* * *

 

”The demon has been exorcised, doctor Banner”, JARVIS polite but hurried voice rang from the speakers. ”I would urge you to hurry to the downstairs living room, as sir is in critical condition.”

 

Bruce was running before the AI had finished talking.

 

”What can you tell me about his condition, JARVIS?

 

”Sir has four broken ribs, rendering the arc reactors position unstable. Possibly a punctured lung. He has lost consciousness and I find his breathing most worrying. I’ve called for emergency medical personnel, SHIELD is sending a quinjet, ETA eight minutes.”

 

Bruce skidded down the stairs, almost stumbling over an unconscious Dean.

 

”JARVIS?”

 

”Master Dean is not in critical condition.” Unlike Tony, was left unsaid.

 

Bruce stopped next to the sobbing, sniveling mess that was Clint, bent over his boyfriend.

 

”How long since he passed out?”

 

”I don’t know, I don’t… Not long.”

 

Bruce was about to ask JARVIS for a more exact answer, when Tony’s wheezing breaths ceased completely, before his body shuddered with wet coughs. He moaned and his eyelids fluttered, hand twitching towards his chest.

 

”Hey, let’s see if we can find a position that will let you breathe a little easier, huh?”

 

Bruce had Clint help him shift the injured man around until he was on all fours. Clint was wrapped around him, keeping him steady, a careful hand supporting the arc reactor. Tony coughed a couple more times before his breathing seemed to settle a bit.

 

”That’s it, Tony! Keep breathing slowly, you’re gonna be okay.”

 

A nearby groan seemed to catch Tony’s attention. ”Brucie? You gotta… …gotta check on Dean.”

 

”JARVIS is keeping an eye on him”, Bruce tried to reassure him as he glanced over at Dean. ”As is Sam and Natasha. Dean will be fine. And so will you.”

 

While Sam and Natasha worked on rousing Dean, Steve had moved to check on the previously possessed girl. He met Bruce’s eyes and shook his head, indicating that there was nothing to be done for her - she was already gone. He moved over to were Bucky was standing, worriedly watching over their injured teammate.

 

”Is there anything we can do to help?”

 

Bruce shrugged. ”He needs to be on a ventilator. Nothing we can do really until help arrives.”

 

The quinjet arrived just as Tony started coughing blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think...?


	3. A trip down memory lane - family time now and then

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the past child abuse tag is for a reason. I've written nothing graphic, but you will find a flashback in this chapter, dealing with the aftermath of said abuse. If this triggers you at all, please skip the flashback titled "July, 1987, Stark Manor, New York".
> 
> After some very hectic weeks, I finally managed to write the final scene of this fic. I still feel like the ending is a bit abrupt, but this is what I've got at the moment. Also, I started questioning my grammar a lot, so if you find any mistakes, please tell me so I can fix them and improve as a writer.
> 
> See you at the end!

 

**_June, 1984, Stark Manor, New York_ **

 

_Tony was having a staring contest with two kids. And he was losing, badly._

 

_”Hi, my name’s Tony, what are your names?” he’d asked politely. He got that the baby couldn’t really talk that much yet, but his older brother apparently refused to answer as well. Tony did know their names from listening in on their father’s conversation with Jarvis, but he figured it was a good place to start befriending the kids. Except, you know, apparently not._

 

_”Yeah, Dean hasn’t really talked much lately”, John said uncomfortably._

 

_Tony raised an eyebrow before turning back to the boys._

 

_”Do you guys wanna see a robot?”_

 

_When Dean gave him a hesitant nod and a shy smile, he knew they’d be just fine._

 

*****

 

**_July, 1987, Stark Manor, New York_ **

 

_Tony was very good at moving soundlessly through the mansion, but somehow, as he opened the door to the freezer, the kitchen lights turned on accompanied by the sound of someone clearing their throat. He turned around slowly, coming face to face with the most stubborn eight-year-old he’d ever met._

 

_”So”, said Dean, arms crossed in front of his chest. ”How come you’re getting ice in the middle of the night?”_

 

_”I like to eat ice chips when i can’t sleep.”_

 

_”Bull.”_

 

_Tony sighed, before easing down on a chair, wrapping the ice in a kitchen towel and pressing it gingerly against his ribs._

 

_”The ice I got earlier melted”, he admitted._

 

_Dean stepped closer, reaching out like he wanted to grab the hem of Tony’s shirt._

 

_”How bad is it?”_

 

_Tony started to shrug before realizing what a monumentally bad idea that would be._

 

_”Ribs are bruised. Maaaaybe cracked. They aren’t shifting any, so not broken, at least.”_

 

_Dean grabbed the hem of his shirt and carefully lifted it to reveal spectacular splashes of black and purple covering Tony’s side. He closed his eyes tight._

 

_”I hate him.”_

 

_Tony closed his eyes too._

 

_”It was my fault, really. I know I shouldn't bother him when he’s been drinking.”_

 

_”Stop it! Dads shouldn't hit their kids, ever!”_

 

_”Easy Dean. It’s not like your dad’s winning any father of the year awards either.”_

 

_”He doesn’t hurt us!”_

 

_”No, he just leaves you!”_

 

_”Well, then I’m glad he left us here! If he didn’t, you’d be dealin’ with this alone.”_

 

_Tony released the breath he’d gathered to reply. He hadn’t meant to let the conversation escalate into a yelling match. Luckily the house was big enough that they hopefully hadn’t woken either Sammy or his parents._

 

_”It doesn’t happen often”, he said softly, nodding towards his ribs._

 

_”It shouldn’t happen at all”, Dean replied stubbornly._

 

_Tony shifted the ice against his ribs with a sigh. Be that as it may, it wasn’t like he could or really wanted to do anything about it. It was what it was._

 

*****

 

**_August, 1988, Stark Manor, New York_ **

 

_There was a heavy weight on Tony’s chest, making it difficult to breathe. He really didn’t mind. Much._

 

_Sammy had caught a cold, and now he was a sniveling mess of a five-year-old, all clingy and sweaty, but weirdly enough still adorable. He was currently lying on Tony’s chest, where Tony was sprawled on the couch, his breathing as wheezy as Tony’s. Dean was sitting on his legs, eyes fixed to the television, while he could hear Jarvis puttering in the kitchen, probably making his famous chicken soup that could cure all ails._

 

_Tony pondered how very much they’d all changed, since that first time he met the boys, in this very room. Sammy was growing fast, already learning to read. And Dean - Dean was not only talking again, he was laughing, and yelling and singing_ ~~_slightly off pitch_ ~~ _. His favorite pastime was helping Tony work on cars, particularly the older models, and he adored batman comics and reruns of Scooby-doo. And he loved his brother more than anything._

 

_Seeing how much Sammy looked up to his big brother, and how Dean in turn would do anything for his baby brother, Tony desperately wished that he wasn’t an only child. What he wouldn’t do to have an older brother who’d defend him when his father had been drinking. Or a younger brother who’d look at him like he could do anything. As Sammy sniffled and burrowed closer, unconsciously seeking out someone trusted, someone who felt safe and warm, Tony realized that in a way he did have younger brothers, at least for the summer half of the year._

 

*****

 

**_September, 1995, Stark Manor, New York_ **

 

_Dean paused at the top of the wall, glancing down at his little brother. Sammy was on the chubbier side, but Dean had no worries about the twelve-year-olds abilities to scale walls. It wasn’t the first time they had disabled the alarm and climbed this wall, though it was the first time it wasn’t done as a game initiated by Tony._

 

_Tony. That’s the reason they were here. They hadn’t heard from him once since uncle Edwin died, almost a year ago. On the news he was portrayed as a genius, a playboy and a drunk. Their father refused to let them see him, because as the only Stark still alive, Tony was always in the limelight and they didn’t need any extra attention. And since uncle Edwin’s death, Tony seemed to have taken a self destructive path - the last time they’d seen him, he’d been hammered at Edwin’s funeral._

 

_Their father had dropped them off at uncle Bobby’s, since the current hunt was deemed too dangerous for a sixteen-year-old to tag along on, and he knew Dean would sneak out after him if no one was keeping an eye on him. Except, Bobby had met Tony a couple of times, and he too was worried about the young man. It didn’t take much convincing for him to loan them one of his cars, Dean having recently acquired his drivings license. A few hours later, and they were breaking into the familiar Stark Manor in the middle of the day._

 

_As they tried to pick the locks to the kitchen door however, gallers smashed down in front of the windows and a crisp British voice sounded from the speakers._

 

_”May I inquire what your intentions are? If I find the answer lacking I will contact the local police forces.”_

 

_”Uncle Edwin?” Sam looked around with big eyes. That sounded exactly like the voice of their late uncle Edwin._

 

_”Sir usually refers to me as JARVIS”, the voice replied._

 

_”And ’sir’ would be Tony?” Dean questioned._

 

_”That would be correct.”_

 

_”We’re here to see him. He’s our cousin”, said Sam with what could almost be described as a pout._

 

_”My apologies then, young Sam and Dean. I believe we’ve never been properly introduced.”_

 

_The gallers retreated and the kitchen door opened. As they stepped inside, a sleepy voice could be heard from the next room._

 

_”What do you mean ’intruders’, J?”_

 

_Tony wandered into the kitchen and came to a stop at the sight of them._

 

_”Oh.”_

 

_He looked awful. His hair was a mess, he had dark bag’s under his eyes and he was dressed in an oil streaked teeshirt and boxers. He had quite obviously just woken up wherever he’d fallen asleep, never setting foot in a bedroom. But he also seemed sober._

 

_”Hey Tony”, said Dean and reached out to hug him, ignoring the dirt on his clothes._

 

_Tony accepted the hug after a brief moment of hesitation, exchanging a hug with Sam as well. He noticed how the brothers seemed to be critically looking him over._

 

_”Are you guys checking up on me?” he asked incredulously._

 

_”So what, if we are?” Dean replied hotly._

 

_Tony held up his hands in an apologetic gesture._

 

_”It doesn’t matter. It’s great to see you guys.”_

 

_Sam moved in for another hug, squeezing Tony’s ribs so hard it hurt._

 

*****

 

Tony woke up to a hospital room full of people. Clint was holding his hand carefully, like he was something very fragile and expensive. The rest of his ~~team~~ family stood around his bed or sat on the unoccupied bed next to his, since the two visitors chairs had been claimed by Clint and Dean. He thought they might be talking to him, but he wasn't awake enough to listen yet. There was a tickle in his throat and he glanced around for a glass of water, because the last thing he wanted to do right now was cough. Clint saw his searching gaze and held out a mug with a straw. He sipped some water before deciding to try his voice. He turned to Dean.

 

”You look like you should be in the bed next to me.”

 

”He was”, said Sam pointedly. ”He refused to stay there, though.”

 

Dean looked truly awful. His face was swollen and covered in bruises, his arm rested in a sling across his chest, and he was taking the shallow, carefully controlled breaths of a man with cracked ribs.

 

”Idjit”, Tony muttered, purposely imitating the infamous Uncle Bobby, who he had sadly only met a couple of times.

 

”I’m just a bit banged up”, Dean reassured. ”You on the other hand - if you didn’t just come out of surgery, I’d kick your ass for scaring us like that.”

 

Tony raised an eyebrow and turned towards Bruce, hoping for an explanation. Bruce easily understood the unasked question.

 

”They decided to repair your ribs with metal plates, since the breaks were pretty bad and the arc reactor complicates things. Without surgery they likely would have had to remove the reactor from your chest and keep it connected with a wire for the next few weeks, to give your ribs time to heal. The doctors and we were all in agreement that that would be a horrible idea.”

 

Tony shuddered at the thought of spending weeks with an open hole in his chest and carrying around the thing keeping him alive. Again. Been there, done that, never doing it again. He didn’t even get a teeshirt.

 

”Thanks”, he forced out passed the lump in his throat.

 

Clint rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb in a way that was ridiculously comforting. Tony turned to him and raised his eyebrow in a silent question, never more thankful for how expressive his eyes were. _Are you okay?_ Clint gave him a shaky smile and squeezed his hand harder, which Tony was pretty sure meant: _I’m okay. We’re okay._

 

”So”, said Dean, bulldozing over their intimate moment. ”How about we blow this joint?”

 

*****

 

All of the Avengers had gathered outside the mansion to see the two hunters off. Sam and Dean made quick work of packing up the Impala, used to leaving at a moment’s notice. Dean still had his arm in a sling, though he seemed tempted to get rid of it and slip into the driver’s seat of the car. Sam was sneaking him looks that meant he was aware of what he was considering and not very fond of the idea. Tony cleared his throat and gestured to Clint, who stood next to him with a heavy duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He had simply refused to let Tony carry the bag, and with how sore his ribs were, Tony wasn’t all that disappointed anyway.

 

”I made you some stuff. Hunting stuff.”

 

Dean raised an eyebrow. ”I thought you weren’t in the weapon making business anymore.”

 

”In my defense, a lot of it was designed years ago. And, knowing what you do for a living, making weapons for you is the only way I know to help keep you safe. It’s the same with the Avengers.”

 

”Thank you, Tony”, said Sam sincerely, grabbing the bag and giving his cousin a very careful hug. Dean moved in for a hug as well.

 

”Take care, Tones. Don’t be a stranger.”

 

”Stay in touch and don’t die”, Tony responded.

 

Sam and Dean nodded, before shifting their attention to the rest of the superheroes.

 

”It was great to meet you guys. Natasha.” Dean gave her a respectful nod, with a flirty smile.

 

To everyones great surprise she smiled amusedly before moving forward to kiss his cheek and slip him a note.

 

”You have my number”, she murmured, barely loud enough for Tony to hear. Her smirk grew wider as Dean turned red and seemed to forget how to talk. After he had stammered out a few half words, Sam took pity on him.

 

”Come on, Casanova. We need to hit the road.”

 

Natasha gave a short laugh as Sam wrestled his brother into the passenger seat of the car. Tony shook his head with a soft grin, watching his family get ready to leave. Dean turned on the tape player, blasting AC/DC's For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) as a tribute their shared taste in music, while Sam got behind the wheel and gave them a last wave and a smile.

 

Deep in thought, Tony watched the black muscle car ~~Chevrolet Impala 1967 ht with four doors~~ roll down the drive way and disappear through the gate. He felt a sting of sadness to see them go, much like every other time they had left the mansion at the end of the summer. This time though, he didn’t feel like the loneliest person on earth, watching a tight knit family he wasn’t quite a part of move on to new adventures without him. He knew he’d see Sam and Dean again. For now though, he did have a makeshift family of his own, standing right there beside him, watching the taillights disappear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. I always appreciate feedback, but just the fact that you read this far means a lot. Have a great day!


	4. Author's Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Missing scene

Hi!

 

So I just reread this story, as I tend to do (checking for mistakes and whatnot) and I realized that an entire scene was missing. I couldn't decide if it should be at the end of the second chapter or the beginning of the third, so somehow it ended up not being posted at all. If anyone is interested, I now added it to the end of the second chapter, as it's about what happens after Tony first passes out, but before help arrives. It's not a very long scene, mind you, but I did consider it important when I first wrote the story.


End file.
